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July 5, 1932. c. LIEBER INSTANTANEOUS AUTOMATIC WATER HEATER Filed June 24, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG.

70 FIG. 5 w WW WVENTOR ATTORNEY y 5, 1932- c. M. LIEBER INSTANTANEOUS AUTOMATIC WATER HEATER Filed June 24. 1929 MINI BMW ATTORNEY Patented July 5, 1932 UNETE.

s rai s eaten. orrica CARL M.. LIEBER, on OKLAHOMA-CITY, OKLAHOMA- msmnnrannous eu'rolvmrmc wa ren HEATER.

Application filed June 24, 1929. Serial No. 373,428. 1

My invention relatesto: instantaneous automatic water heaters designed for the instant heating and delivery'ofan intermittent or and then over to the topof the second column and downwardly through the series of units in the secondcolumn and then to; use.

In so far as this applicant knows or can ascertain, instantaneous water heaters of present use are not adaptableto circulatory systems unless provided with an expensive auxiliary storage tank.. They are given. to excessive sweating, to. an extent which "re.- quires shielding of the gas flame, the provision of a drip pan and, 'frequently,;the. added provision of a drain pipe connected.

tothe sewer. or other outlet; 1

; My device consists substantially of. a plu rality of water receiving units, connected in series, through which the water circulates and in which the water isheated, The units' are so disposed that the cold water enters the the flame and after passing through this unit it rises to other units thereabove. 7 water has passed through the top unit of the heater, it enters another unit which is.

disposed in the upper part of. the heaterand from this last, mentioned unit the water circulates downwardly through a plurality of like units and finallyenters the lowermost.

unit which is also directly above the flame. From this last mentioned unit, the water is the cold water can. not condense moisture from the gases within the h-eater 'because of the fact that the first unit is disposed within the flame and thatjthe secondunitthereabove first unit which. is. disposed directly above.

After'thel conveyed tothe faucet. By this arrangement r is sufliciently close to the flame to prevent conraised and as it descends through the last units itvhas reached'an extremely high heat. It is a lmaown fact that condensation within. a heater takes place more abundantly in. the upper part thereof. By the time the water in applicants heater has reached the upper portion thereof its temperature has been so rai'sed'that condensation is prevented.

Instantaneous water heaters of present use are provided with complicated automatic control devices, some oi the'moving parts. of which are operativeunde'r water and cone. sequently are subject to the waters corrosive action and to the collection of the waters precipitate. vSuch corrosion and precipitate col lectiontend to render such moving parts sluggish in action or wholly inactive; Thus the feature of automatic control is lost. The use of packing glands, in 'suchheaters, is: always attended with more or less trouble, the

necessity of frequent adjustment-or renewal.

of the packing element', the tendency toleak if adjusted too loosely, and the liability of remaining inoperative if adjusted too tightly. In the automatic controls of my device, no packing glands are used,. water contacts no moving part of' my thermostatic control and no movingpart of the water pressure gas control other than. the inside of the sylphon.

In my device, the installation of drip pans and drain pipes to receive and: to carry off the drip. from condensation is unnecessary as is also-theuse of an auxiliarystorage tank, when. a circulatory system is desired. The easily removable front and back panelsof my device, the. accessibility of. the interchangeable heatf transmission units, and theease with which ,same [may be removed and cleaned, are features extremely advantageous. Itis my belief that. my device overcomes all these. disadvantages of 'other instantaneous automatic water heaters ,of present" use and, moreover, has many novel, useful. and practical features of its own.. I

Withthese and other objects in view as will more fully appear my invention consistsin the construction, novel features, and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described, pointed out in the claims hereto appended, and illustrated in the accompanying two-sheet drawings, of which,

, their connecting nipples 5, a thermostatic ele- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of my device showing the gas feed line externally thereupon;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view showing the inlet and outlet water lines and the gas line, all connected thereto;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top sectional view of one of my heat transmission units;

Figure 4 is a sectional end view of one of the heat transmission units;

Figure 5 is a side view of one of the two plates which form the main body of the heat transmission units shown in Figures 3 and 4;

Figure 6is a side elevational view of the plurality of heat transmission units and their arrangement for circulatory effect;

Figure 7 is an elevational view of the pilot light, the gas burner, and in section, a part of the gas feed line;

Figure 8 shows, above, a sectional side view of the water pressure gas control; and below, a sectional side View of the thermostatic gas control; p

' Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the terminusof the circulatory return line and the disposition of the thermostatic control element;

iron frame, not shown, and housing principally a gas burner 2, a pilot 3, a plurality of heat transmission units 4, together with ment container tube 6, a portion of the cold water inlet pipe 7 and a portion of the hot water outlet pipe 8, having a usual relief valve 102.

Upon the outside of said cabinet 1 is disposed the main gas line 9 leading to the said burner 2, through an automatic water pressure gas control 11 and thence through an automatic thermostatic gas control 12. The pilot line 10 leading to pilot 3 is a takeoff from gas lead 9 above said controls 11 and 12. Also I externally upon the cabinet 1, is the drain cock 13, the connection for a return hot water line 14, a vent 15 to the flue, the down draft hood 16, and the outward extensions of the said inlet and outlet cold and hot water lines 7 and 8.

' The said cabinet 1 rests upon a plurality of legs 17, has a flat removable panel back the edge of which is shown at 65, and a flat removable panel front 18, provided at its lower portion with a removable door panel 19 secured in place by any usual means such as two ordinary buttons 20. The said door panel 19 has in its lower portion, a rectangular aperture shown as 21. Said cabinet 1 is also provided with flat rectangular sides 22 and 23, each provided at its lower portion with a plurality of circular apertures shown as '24. Said cabinet 1 has a flat top which is centrally provided with the flue vent 15, be fore mentioned. The bottom of said cabinet is closed by a removable shallow pan indicated by the dotted lines at 25.

Within the cabinet 1 and immediately above said pan 25 is provided the said gas burner 2, of any known or desired design, but which at this time I conceive as preferably of the type known to the art as the Bunsen burner, and which comprises a sufficient number of individual burners 100 to render efficient my device with respect to heating a desired number of gallons of water per minute. v The gas flow to this burner is provided through the said gas feed line 9, but before reaching said burner 2 the gas must first pass through the said automatic water pressure gas control 11 and thence through the said automatic thermostatic gas control 12, disposed the one above the other upon the said feed line 9, attached toa usual source of gas supply. 7

. The said water pressure gas control 11 for which a patent application is being filed by this inventor, practically simultaneously herewith, is disposed partly within and partly without the said cabinet 1, adjacent said cabinets top portion and the said side 22. Within the vertical portion of a T 26 upon the said cold water feed line 7 and within said cabinet 1, I provide a frustum shaped jet member 27 the wide upper end of which is open to cold water flow, its other and smaller end 28 having a smaller opening shown as 29. Said smaller jet end 28 does not fully close the lower continuation of the said pipe line 7, butleaves an annular opening shown as 30 between the external sides of said jet end 28 and the internal wall of the enveloping continuation of said feed line 7. The said annular opening 30 permits a flow of Water. when same is under pressure, both above and below said jet end 28,'to back up through said annular aperture 30, and to fill a small pressure chamber indicated as 31, in that section anaemia ings of the said control unit 11. At its oppo: site end, said sylphon 32 contactsthe head of a usual valve 36 which is designed to. open and close a port, shown as 37, for the passage of gas from said chamber 33 downwardly through bore 43 to said gas burner 2. Said valve 36 is provided with a stem 38, extending oppositely to said sylphon, and said valve 36 is kept in constant contact with said sylphon by the pressure of a compression spring 39, the pressure of which is regulated by a threaded screw40. The upper portion of said gas chamber 33 opens directly, through a port shown as 41, into the upper bore 42 or" said control unit 11.

The said bore 43 is threaded toreceive a pipe line also indicated as 9 for the further conduct to said thermostatic control unit 12, of the gas which has been permitted to flow through said water pressure control 11. Be-

' tween said controls 11 and 12 I provide an ordinary manually operative cut-ofi valve 44. Said thermostatic control unit 12, for

which an application for patent is being filed practically simultaneously herewith, by this applicantsaid application being dated June 24, 1929, Serial Number 373,427, comprises two principal flanged members 45 and 46, designed to be hermetically held together by a plurality of removable bolts 47, as best shown in Fig. 1. Said flanged member 45is provided with an inlet bore 48, threaded. at its upper portion to receive a section of the said feed line 9, and thus to receive incoming gas.

Said member 12 is also provided with an outlet bore 49 threaded at its lower portion to receive another section of said; feed line 9 for the further transmission of such gas as has been permitted tofiow through said member 12. Said member 46- is provided, outstanding perpendicularly from its central portion, with a hollow cylindrical extension 50 which is threaded, as shown at 51', for connection with aT coupling 52. That portion of said arm 51 which extends into said T 52 is provided witha smaller tube 6 brazed thereto and extending therefrom and pre viously mentioned as the thermostat tube. Said thermostat tube 6 isclosed at its free end 53 and at its other end portion opens into the bore, shown as 54, of the said arm 50. The said bore 54 at its other end ishermeticallv sealed by a thin diaphragm 55. Said thermostat tube 6 and said bore 50 form a chamber which is filled, with a volatile fluid or gas under pressure, such, as ether or the like. The bolting together of the saidmembers 45 and 46 forms a gas tight chamber shown as 56'. Into said chamber 56 thereis a port shown as 57 from said inlet bore 48 and an outlet port shown as 58 leading to said gas outlet bore 49. No means is provided'for closing said inlet port 57, but said outlet port 58is designed to be automatically opened and closed by a valve 59. 7 An adjusting screw 60 ulator 101 and a usual check valve 63. Said line 7 enters my device at its top portion,

passes downwardly through the said T 26,.

thence downwardly and angularly to a T 64 adjacent the lower central portion of the back panel 65 of the said cabinet 1. From the said T 64 a shortlength of pipe leads outwardly through said back panel'65 to a drain cock 66. Through a nipple 67 the said T 64 is connected with the first of the plurality of said heat transmission units 45.

Said heat transmission units each comprise a. rectangular casting 68, provided with a plurality of perforations shown as 69, laterally through its respective side portions 7 0 and 71 and its respective end portions 72 and 73. The said casting 68 is bulged outwardly over the greater portion of its length and width as shown at 74 and said bulged portion 74 V is provided with a plurality of perforations shown as 75 in alinement therethrough. Said bulged portion 74 is also provided, extending upwardly from its top central portion, with abosswhich is vertically bored. Said bore is threaded at its top portion to receive the lower end portion of one of said nipples 5,

and the lower portion of said bore penetrates the upper central portion of said side casting '68 as shown at 77. Extending outwardly from, and perpendicularly to, said casting,

The said heat transmission units 4, each 8 further comprises a casting 81, somewhat similar to said casting 68, designed to match and to be bolted to same through perforations alined with said perforations 69. Casting 81 is also provided with a bored boss 82 similar tosaid bored'boss 76, but extendingdownward from said casting 81 to i be con-- nected by the said nipple 67 to said T 64-, Clamped orbolted between said castings 68 and 81 is a partition plate 83. which completely and tightly separates the chambers shown'as 84 and 85, the one from another, except that said partition plate 83 is provided with a plurality of thin tubes 86 of copper or the like, which extend through said chamber 85, respectively. into the said tubes 78 to a point relatively close to the said tube ends 80. Said tubes 86 are open at their free ends and also open into said chamber :84 as shownl at 88; Thus it may be seen that cold water from the said line entering chamber 84 through T 64, may be forced by the usual water pressure through the 7 unit 4 is conducted through a connecting the said cabinet side panel 23.

pipe 89 and into the opposite top unit a, thence downwardly through the succeeding units a, each of which is identical with said units 4 oppositely positioned. therefrom, except that the position of each of said units 4 upon the down flow side is reverse to the position of each of said units 41- upon the up flow side. Passing through the lowermost of said down flow units the water enters a pipe 90 thence passes through a 92, a nipple 91 and enters the said T 52, which latter is best shown in Fig. 8. In said T 52 and in the pipe 93 extending therefrom, the water has a circulation around the said ther .mostat tube 6. Passing onward through said pipe 93 the water passes through a'T 9a, and thence upwarc and outward through t 16 said hot'water outlet pipe 8, to the various hot water taps of the system, not shown. Said T 94 also receives one end of a nipple 95, which extends through the lower portion of fhe outstanding end of said nipple 95 is provided with the said hot water drain cook 13. The

said T 92 beside serving as a connection for an outlying section or sections of the hot water distributing line. Said pipe line 98 is designed to serve as a medium vtor return circulation and is provided with a check valve 99 somewhat adjacent said T 92. It is understood'that said return circulatory s stem is optional and not mandatory.

In describing the operation of my device as above, it will be presumed that all gas and water pipe connections have been properly made, that the device as a whole is connected for service'with pilot light burning and all outlet water taps closed. Under these conditions the thermostatic control valve 59 will bev open, due to cold water in the T 52 and the pipe 93. No gas, however, is flowing to the said thermostat unit 12. through said water pressure gas control unit 11. This is due to the fact that water pressure in the cold water feed line within tie device has backed up through the annular opening 30 into the'said chamber 31, causing a longitudinal distension of the syphon in vsaid unit 11, and thus causing the valve 36 to close the port 37. With said port 37 closed no gas may flow through said unit 11 into the line below.

Upon the opening ofa tap, however, connected at any point within the hot water outlet line 8, pressure is immediately and appreciably relieved in the interior feed line 7 due to the fact that the jet opening 29 is 3111:1181 than the faucet opening. The lessening of pressure in said interior feed line 7 is immediately reflected in the lessening'of pressure in the said chamber 31, through said annular opening 30. With a lessened pressure in said chamber 31, the said valve 36 actuated by compression spring 39 upon valve stem 38, is opened against the lessened resistance of the sylphon 32 and gas is permitted to flow from the chamber 33 through the port 37 into the feed line 9 below. Passing on through the open unit 12, the gas in the burner 2 is ignited by the flame from the pilot 3. The flame from the multiplicity of said individual burner tubes 100 forming the said gas heater 2, directed in its greatest intensity upon the lowermost of the said thin heat transmission units a, and to a greater or less extent upon those of said units tabove, quickly heats the water therein which is car.- ried upwardly by one tier of said units and thence across and downwardly by the opposite tier, as previously described, into said pipe 90, through said T 52, circulating around the said thermostat tube '6, on through the pipe 93 and out through said hot water outlet line 8 to the said open tap or taps. Upon theclosing of the open tap, pressure from the open cold water feed line immediately backs up into the said chamber 31 as previously described, again distendsthe sylphon 32, closes the-port 37 and shuts oii the flow of gas to said unit 12 and consequently to said burner 2. In the meantime should the heat from the burner 2 become suiiicient to heat the water to a temperature greater than that as previously determined, the excess of heat expanding the volatile liquid or gas in the said thermostat tube 6, causes apressure upon the said diaphragm 55 which in turn causes the closing of the said valve 59 against the regulative pressure of the said compression spring 61. It will be apparent that the closing of the valve 59 will shut ofl the further flow of gas to said burner 2, and also that, due to the action of cause of the provision, as heretofore described, of said check valve 99.

In the construction of the heat transmission units it will be understood that not only are the walls of the inside and outside tubesv very thin, ofiering the maximum of heat conductivity, but that the water flows therein between in a very thin sheet, and thus is quickly heated.

Obviously, the invention issusceptible of embodiment in forms other than that which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described herein, and applicable for uses and purposes other than as detailed, and I therefore consider as my own all such modifications and adaptations and other uses of the form of the device other than as herein described as fairly fall within the scope of my claims.

Having thus described my invention what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. In an instantaneous water heater having heating units each comprising pairs of tubes arranged in horizontal courses, each pair of tubes including an outer closed ended tube and an inner open ended tube enclosed by the outer tube, said tubes connected to a header arranged to deliver water to the inner tubes and to receive water from the outer" tubes, the arrangement of said units in vertical columns in a manner whereby the water first enters the lowermost unit of one column, passes upwardly through the next succeeding units of that column thereabove, then passes into the uppermost unit of the next column and descends through each succeeding unit of the last mentioned column.

2. In an instantaneous water heater, the

combination with a plurality of substantially horizontally disposed heating units, each of said units comprising pairs of tubes arranged in horizontal courses, each pair of tubes including an outer closed ended tube, an inner open ended tube, and a header con necting said tubes and arranged to deliver water to the inner tubes andto receive water from the outer tubes, of the arrangement of said units in vertical columns whereby the water first enters the lowermost unit of one column, passes upwardly through the next succeeding units of that column thereabove, then passes into the uppermost unit of the next column and descends through each succeeding unit of the last mentioned column.

3, In an instantaneous water heater, the combination with a plurality of heating units substantially horizontally disposed within a housing above a heat generating element, each of said units comprising pairs of tubes arranged in horizontal courses, each pair of tubes including anouter closed ended tube, an inner open ended tube, and a header connecting said tubes and arranged to deliver water to the inner tubes and to receive water which the tubes of each ofsaid columns of units extend toward each other, and in which the tubes of the lowermost unit of each column is located directly above said heat generating element.

CARL M. LIEBER.

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